Adults must secure their firearms

A Stratham middle school student recently brought a loaded gun to school. The school went into lockdown and parents were notified. Thankfully the loaded gun was not discharged, this time. Unfortunately, this scenario plays out all too often in our society. Children kill other children because an irresponsible adult left a gun improperly secured.

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seacoastonline.com

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Posted May. 13, 2014 at 2:00 AM

Posted May. 13, 2014 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

To the Editor:

A Stratham middle school student recently brought a loaded gun to school. The school went into lockdown and parents were notified. Thankfully the loaded gun was not discharged, this time. Unfortunately, this scenario plays out all too often in our society. Children kill other children because an irresponsible adult left a gun improperly secured.

I am a New Hampshire mom who is advocating for gun safety, I am outraged that this child had such easy access to a loaded firearm and brought it into the school. In New Hampshire, we have a law that requires adults to keep guns stored safely, and away from innocent children. We don't know what went wrong in this case. Hopefully, a thorough investigation will provide answers.

As parents, we are not helpless. There are things we can do to protect our children and grandchildren:

Educate yourselves. Friends and neighbors about the proper storage of guns. They need to be locked up and the ammunition locked up in a separate location.

With 48 percent of New Hampshire homes having a firearm, the chances are very good that your child plays at a home where there is a gun.

This is not a problem if the gun is properly secured, but it is a tragedy waiting to happen if it is not.

Always ask if there is an unlocked gun at a place where you child may be playing. Need some suggestions on how to broach this subject? I urge you to go online and visit AskingSavesKIds.org. They have great advice.

You wouldn't let your child ride in a car with a drunk driver, so why would you let your child play in a home with an unlocked gun?